分类： sports

MUNICH — Bayern Munich and German national team midfielder Leon Goretzka has made a striking declaration about European football superiority ahead of the 2026 World Cup, while simultaneously addressing growing political tensions surrounding the tournament. In a recent interview with Die Zeit newspaper, the prominent footballer suggested that unexpected political developments have strengthened continental unity. “The current political climate has unexpectedly reinforced our sense of European identity,” Goretzka stated, though he refrained from directly naming specific political figures. The athlete’s comments come amid increasing calls for tournament boycotts from various football authorities across Europe. Oke Göttlich, president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli and vice president of the German football association, recently advocated for serious consideration of boycott options. Even former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has entered the contentious discussion surrounding the North American-hosted event. Despite the political controversies, Goretzka remains optimistic about the tournament’s potential impact: “I anticipate an exceptional championship that will significantly advance football’s popularity in the host nations and showcase the sport’s universal appeal.” Germany finds itself positioned in World Cup Group E alongside Ivory Coast, Curaçao, and Ecuador, setting the stage for what promises to be a highly competitive international showdown.

In an unconventional approach to Olympic preparation, the U.S. women’s bobsled and skeleton team has incorporated professional hairstyling into their final training regimen ahead of the Milan Cortina Games. While typically focused on physical conditioning and strategic planning, the athletes recognized the psychological benefits of self-care during their extended European training camp that began in November.

Five-time Olympic bobsled medalist Elana Meyers Taylor initiated the unique arrangement, recalling hairstylist Jessica Sinclair from her time in California. Despite never having visited Europe and possessing minimal knowledge of sliding sports, Sinclair immediately accepted the unusual booking request, traveling from California to Austria with her equipment.

The comprehensive styling services benefited all six U.S. women’s bobsled competitors—Meyers Taylor, Kaillie Humphries Armbruster, Kaysha Love, Azaria Hill, Jasmine Jones, and Jadin O’Brien—along with skeleton athletes Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro. Treatments ranged from haircuts and trims to conditioning and coloring, with many athletes sharing their transformed looks on social media platforms.

Meyers Taylor emphasized the psychological significance beyond mere aesthetics: ‘A major part of being a woman isn’t necessarily trying to look good for other people. You want to be able to look in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, I feel good, I look good.’ After months of maintaining fundamentals through winter, this opportunity to feel pretty again makes a substantial difference.’

The timing proved particularly strategic as athletes prepared for Olympic processing, where official photographs would be taken. Though helmets conceal hairstyles during competition, the mental refresh provided by professional grooming offered valuable psychological preparation for the world’s premier sporting stage.

Sinclair’s versatility with diverse hair types made her particularly valuable to the team. ‘She can do Black people’s hair, white women’s hair—Jessica is a jack of all trades,’ Meyers Taylor noted. The stylist’s brief European immersion included her first viewing of a sliding track, and she anticipates cheering for her Olympic clients when competition begins next month.

BIRMINGHAM, England — The stage is set for a dramatic conclusion to the UEFA Europa League’s opening phase this Thursday, with six direct berths to the round of 16 on the line. In a format mirroring the Champions League, all 36 teams will compete simultaneously in the final 18 matches of this stage.

Only two clubs, Olympique Lyonnais and Aston Villa, have already secured their progression to the last 16, both sitting tied at the summit of the standings with identical records of six victories and a single defeat. This leaves eleven teams vying for the five remaining automatic qualification spots, while the intricate standings will determine which clubs must navigate a two-leg playoff.

The simultaneous kick-offs promise high-stakes drama across Europe. Key fixtures include Lyon hosting PAOK Thessaloniki and Aston Villa facing FC Salzburg at Villa Park. In a critical match for Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, who trail the group leaders by a mere point, a draw against LOSC Lille would be sufficient to advance. AS Roma, currently in sixth, faces an away test against Panathinaikos, while Nottingham Forest takes on Ferencváros at the City Ground.

Further down the table, Celtic occupies the final qualifying position and will battle it out with already-eliminated FC Utrecht. Scottish rivals Rangers are also out of contention for the knockout stages.

Amidst the sporting competition, a somber note was struck across stadiums to honor seven PAOK fans who tragically lost their lives in a minibus accident in Romania while traveling to support their team. Lyon expressed its profound condolences, and moments of silence were observed at matches in France and Greece, including at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon and in Athens during the Panathinaikos vs. Roma fixture. Players in the Lille-Freiburg match also participated in a round of applause to pay respects to the victims, as confirmed by UEFA.

In a spectacular display of athletic prowess, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has decisively advanced to her fourth consecutive Australian Open final, where she will confront Elena Rybakina in a highly anticipated championship match. The Belarusian powerhouse delivered a commanding performance against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, securing a 6-2, 6-3 victory despite encountering an unusual hindrance call during the fourth game.

The match took an unexpected turn when chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell penalized Sabalenka for an irregular grunting sound during a rally, awarding the point to Svitolina under the hindrance rule. Despite Sabalenka’s request for video review and visible frustration, she demonstrated remarkable composure by immediately breaking Svitolina’s serve and dominating the remainder of the match with 29 winners against just 15 unforced errors.

Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina earned her place in the final by overcoming American Jessica Pegula in a tightly contested 6-3, 7-6(9-7) semifinal battle. The Kazakh fifth seed displayed exceptional resilience after squandering multiple match points, ultimately prevailing in a dramatic tie-break to set up a final rematch of the 2023 championship.

Both finalists enter Saturday’s showdown in exceptional form, having not dropped a single set throughout the tournament. Sabalenka brings an 11-match winning streak and tournament-leading 172 winners, while Rybakina boasts the most aces (41) and has won 37 matches since Wimbledon—more than any other WTA player. The hardcourt head-to-head record slightly favors Rybakina at 6-5, adding another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a explosive final between two of tennis’s most powerful strikers.